Job Description

OUR STORY

Blue Engine is a New York City-based education nonprofit founded in 2010 to dramatically improve academic achievement for students in historically oppressed communities. We help schools restructure the classroom with trained teams of teachers who provide personalized, small group instruction for students in Algebra and English/Language Arts classes, creating the classroom conditions that enable students to thrive.  

We believe that the current structure of classrooms actively contributes to massive untapped human potential and an epidemic of lost talent in historically oppressed communities across this nation. Blue Engine partners with schools to fundamentally redesign the traditional classroom and employ an innovative team teaching model, dramatically accelerating academic progress so that all students have the choice to pursue college and career opportunities that reflect their unique Talents. This year, Blue Engine is partnering with 9 schools, 100+ extraordinary educators, and 1,800 students; and the results are clear: 7-9 additional months of learning over the course of a single year, doubling the rate of student learning; increased high school and college-going rates; a growing alumni base of diverse, trained new educators.

And yet, beneath all these statistics, the reason people come to work here is to witness, to create for as many young people as possible a more foundational truth: strong human relationships at the heart of classrooms where every single student is seen for who they are, what they need, and what they want to become.

After eight years of operating in New York City, we are mapping out our plan to deepen our impact here and beyond.

The Role

Blue Engine is seeking a Mathematics Coach to implement Blue Engine’s Co-Teaching program by coaching teams to execute Blue Engine’s Team Teaching model in service of dramatic impact on student outcomes in algebra, using data and feedback to adjust course as necessary and meet the learning goals by supporting the capturing and codifying of insights.  This is an exciting new role that will help the organization evolve our flagship support model in a new context.

This role is a perfect opportunity for someone who believes we must transform traditional classrooms, is passionate about instructional coaching and likes working in startup situations.  

Primary Responsibilities & Outcomes

 

• Coach and support 5 teaching teams to have dramatic impact on learning (5+ additional months of learning) & classroom experience for students.

• Activities

 

1. 1. 1. Provide strong math content and instructional coaching through the lens of Blue Engine’s Team Teaching Model that urgently drives towards student outcomes using Blue Engine’s Launch & Improvement Cycles
      2. Support teams to set strong academic goals for students, support team data collection and review to ensure teams are on track to driving towards end of year goals
      3. Provide ongoing observations and debriefs to help teams develop their practice
      4. Collect and utilize student & teacher data to identify highest priority areas to inform coaching plans
      5. Use a variety of coaching techniques based on team needs to help move them forward in their development and to motivate & influence teams to adjust practice. (co-planning, modeling, providing resources & exemplars, observation & feedback)
      6. Effectively create plans, budget time and manage schedule to be able to execute necessary supports aligned to priorities
      7. Partner with school administration to ensure strong alignment with school context; meet with school admin quarterly to review classroom data, provide updates and problem-solve as needed

 

• Develop and implement a support plan that cultivates effective coaching relationships resulting in strong teacher satisfaction & efficacy.

• Activities

 

1. 1. 1. Learn about individual teachers and build strong relationships grounded in trust that can be leveraged to help teams successfully implement Blue Engine’s Team Teaching model
      2. Provide strong, frequent feedback to teams about strengths and areas for growth
      3. Frequently solicit and use feedback from teams to improve coaching practices
      4. Differentiate support based on team development and context of the partner school
      5. Effectively communicate with teams to schedule support experiences

 

• Facilitate a scope and sequence of learning experiences that builds capacity in teams to implement Blue Engine’s Team Teaching Model; coach and manage teams to implement this model to fidelity and build team effectiveness.

• Activities

 

1. 1. 1. Support the design and implementation of centralized onboarding & ongoing learning experiences for teaching teams to introduce Blue Engine’s Team Teaching model
      2. Assess teams’ progress using Blue Engine’s Performance Management Plan and provide feedback and support to ensure successful model implementation  
      3. Motivate and influence teams to adjust practice
      4. Support team formation and help team successfully move through the stages of team development and navigate conflict
      5. Plan and facilitate quarterly team stepbacks on progress towards model implementation and student outcomes & experience
      6. Collaborate with members of the NYC program teams

 

• Collaborate effectively with Organizational Learning & Innovation (“OLI”) team members to build and iterate plan and support learning & development of this implementation model.

• Activities

 

1. 1. 1. Build deep understanding of the history and evolution of Blue Engine’s program and the current context and rationale for co-teaching
      2. Support the development and refinement of plans and learning experiences in partnership with the OLI team
      3. Provide updates and review data in collaboration with OLI team members to identify opportunities & challenges and make decisions for modifications & improvements
      4. Partner with members of the OLI team to capture and codify learnings & insights in service of the learning goals

1. 1. Consistently champion Blue Engine’s mission & demonstrate strong alignment with our organizational culture and values.

 

• Activities

 

1. 1. 1. Be a champion of BE’s mission and operate with “students first” mentality
      2. Proactively give constructive feedback to help Blue Engine continuously improve
      3. Practice and model Blue Engine’s Core Values

1. Collective Responsibilities – As a member of the Blue Engine team, staff members are expected to fulfill responsibilities that allow our organization to make an impact on student outcomes, do our work, make decisions, grow as professionals, and strengthen our team culture. This includes, but is not limited to:

 

• Activities

 

1. 1. Volunteering at org-wide events
   2. Participating in BETA selection and onboarding
   3. Fulfill responsibilities that allow our organization to operate effectively, including office operations and HR
   4. Upholding and living out our Core Values and commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness

This role will require time to be split between our office and our partner schools. Approximately 80% of the Coach’s time will be spent in our partner schools and 20% will be spent in our office; time allocations will vary by week.

Who We Need

Our belief in teams extends beyond the classrooms; we fundamentally believe that we are better together than we are as individuals. Our team supports one another to reflect, improve, and push our individual and collective practice to new levels. We are looking for someone who will bring their ideas, experience and perspective and – as important – someone who has a natural sense of curiosity, has a desire to learn and thrives in cultures that foster open and honest feedback. We are looking for a dedicated, self-aware, smart person who genuinely wants to work with a team of similarly smart, dedicated and self-aware people!

Blue Engine needs a Director of Instruction who is driven; demonstrates exemplary professional behavior and values; and is resourceful, responsible, tenacious, independent, and honest.  We are looking for a person with exceptional interpersonal skills which will allow them to build relationships and effectively communicate with external stakeholders and staff.

Specifically, we are searching for an individual who possesses the following:  

• Bachelor’s Degree; Master’s Degree Preferred
• 5+ years of teaching experience with demonstrated impact on student outcomes; minimum 2 + years  of teaching experience in middle school or high school mathematics
• 2+ years of instructional coaching, mentorship or school leadership experience; experience coaching teachers to utilize data and differentiate for individuals and groups of students; mathematics coaching experience highly preferred
• Believes in and is passionate about Blue Engine’s mission and committed to coaching co-teachers to achieve dramatic gains in student achievement
• Strong organizer and planner who has demonstrated being able to juggle competing priorities and effectively schedule their time to meet all responsibilities
• Demonstrates ability to quickly and proficiently understand and absorb new information; leverages Blue Engine tools and resources effectively
• Can operate in gray space—proactively assesses challenges, identifies flexible, effective solutions in ambiguous and complex situations
• Strong evidence of being able to build strong relationships and credibility with teachers and administrators; able to navigate varied school contexts in order to drive change
• Able to adjust quickly to changing priorities and conditions and do what’s most crucial for supporting teams to reach student outcomes
• Able to develop a strong plan and aligned learning experiences that anticipates needs and challenges of teachers and results in improvements in classroom practice
• Effective communicator who is able to speak and write concisely
• Proactively seeks diverse perspectives to inform decision making and planning
• Clearly articulates the value of diversity, inclusivity and anti-racism.  Awareness of cultural values, biases and difference in self and others and able to lead diverse, inclusive teams
• Has a track record of working hard; follows through on every task, no matter how big or small
• Driven by individual and team goals and makes a consistent conscious effort to achieve these outcomes.  Focuses on own personal development and does not let obstacles stand in the way
• Seeks to uncover what motivates people and is successfully able to influence others
• Demonstrated ability to earn trust in colleagues
• Self-reflects on support to be able to identify improvements needed in approach; values and solicits feedback to improve performance and able to incorporate critical feedback into practice
• Loves working on teams and demonstrated track record of strong teamwork and collaboration to achieve goals

COMPENSATION

Salary and benefits will be competitive and commensurate with experience. Blue Engine employees are provided comprehensive benefits, including six weeks paid time off.

OUR APPROACH TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSIVITY

Blue Engine is more than an “equal opportunity employer.” We acknowledge the roles we play as educators and leaders in the systems of oppression and racism that exist in our city, our communities, and our classrooms, and strive to become an actively anti-racist organization. We do this first by articulating the value of diversity, inclusivity, and equity as separate yet interwoven concepts; we evaluate decisions and policies through the lens of diversity, inclusivity, and equity; we pursue opportunities for continued learning about how historic and current systems of oppression manifest in individuals and organizations; we strive to increase our collective awareness of the cultural values, biases, and differences in self and others; we utilize skills of interruption to bring to bear cultural breaches along the lines of diversity, inclusivity, and anti-racism and combine these approaches to embrace and resolve conflict while fostering growth. We make this commitment because we know it enables us to more meaningfully connect with each other, our students, and the communities in which we work.

How to Apply

Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter using this link. The review of applications will begin immediately and continue on a rolling basis.

Bureaus: New York. Job Categories: Full-Time. Job Types: Instructional Support.